Kansas vs Kentucky Prediction & Picks: Will the Top-Ranked Jayhawks Play Like Champions in Chicago?

Chicago is the place to be tonight, as the annual Champions Classic is taking place at the United Center. The first matchup will feature #9 Duke and #18 Michigan State (7:00 pm ET, ESPN), while the second half of the doubleheader will see #17 Kentucky take on top-ranked Kansas (9:00 pm ET, ESPN).

These two programs have become rather familiar with one another in the last decade-plus. This will be the fifth Champions Classic contest between the Wildcats and Jayhawks, who also met five times in the now-defunct SEC/Big 12 Challenge and in the 2012 NCAA Tournament title game.

They have alternated wins in the last four meetings, with the Jayhawks winning by nine at Rupp Arena in the most recent meeting this past January.

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Both Kansas and Kentucky have opened the new season with two blowout wins. The Jayhawks fell a point short of 100 against both North Carolina Central and Manhattan, while the Wildcats throttled New Mexico State by 40 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi by 20.

Who will come out on top in tonight's matchup in the Windy City? If things follow the recent pattern, Kentucky is in line for a win tonight, but Kansas is favored by a healthy margin.

Kansas vs Kentucky Odds

Odds are courtesy of Bovada.

Spread

• Kansas -7 (-110)
• Kentucky +7 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 148 (-110)
• Under 148 (-110)

Moneyline

• Kansas -300
• Kentucky +250

Recent Kansas (KU) vs Kentucky (UK) Head-to-Head Results

• January 28, 2023 (Lexington, Kentucky): 77-68 KU
• January 29, 2022 (Lawrence, Kansas): 80-62 UK
• December 1, 2020 (Indianapolis, Indiana): 65-62 KU
• January 26, 2019 (Lexington, Kentucky): 71-63 UK
• November 14, 2017 (Chicago, Illinois): 65-61 KU
• January 28, 2017 (Lexington, Kentucky): 79-73 KU
• January 30, 2016 (Lawrence, Kansas): 90-84 KU (OT)
• November 18, 2014 (Indianapolis, Indiana): 72-40 UK
• April 2, 2012 (New Orleans, Louisiana): 67-59 UK
• November 15, 2011 (New York City): 75-65 UK

Kansas vs Kentucky Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Kansas to win

Picks: Kansas -7 (-110 at Bovada) & Kansas team total over 76.5 (-115 at Bovada)

Can the Wildcats and a starting lineup packed with freshmen–highly talented freshmen, but freshmen, nonetheless–keep pace with the Jayhawks?

If everything goes right, they absolutely can.

That involves shooting well from the perimeter, which they haven't really done other than Antonio Reeves nailing five of his eight threes against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

That also involves being able to neutralize Hunter Dickinson, which is going to be a tough ask. Last season, Dickinson had 23 points and nine rebounds in Michigan's 73-69 loss to Kentucky in London.

Of course, even if the Wildcats can even somewhat limit Dickinson, they have plenty else to contend with, and it's a lot to expect for a group full of freshmen, as talented and full of potential as this group is, to be fully up to the task defensively against a team of this caliber in just the third game of the season.

Ultimately, that is why I'm going with the Jayhawks to back up their ranking and whip the Wildcats in the Windy City.

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